


Funeral

by NIKINOU



Category: Mad Men
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-17
Updated: 2015-09-17
Packaged: 2018-04-21 05:20:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4816556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NIKINOU/pseuds/NIKINOU
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Betty is laid to rest on a damp, chilly April day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Funeral

Elizabeth Hofstadt Francis died peacefully on Tuesday, April 4, 1971 in her home, surrounded by her husband and children. She was 39 years old.

Dark clouds hung in the sky over Greenwood Union Cemetery on Friday afternoon. The air felt thick, cold and penetratingly damp Throughout the church service Henry sobbed openly and uncontrollably. Peggy noticed that Henry's mother seemed embarrassed and maybe even slightly irritated by this. Peggy also noticed Sally comforting Henry and her brothers. Don just appeared to be in shock, even though he knew this was coming. The church was packed, which is often the case when a young person passes away. So many contemporaries left to mourn.

The entire scenario was almost too much for Stan. The last funeral he had been to was Robbie's, and Robbie's passing had left an enormous hole in his heart. Now another relatively young person was being laid to rest. Stan also recalled his own mother's funeral. He was around the same age as Sally when his mother died. He knew what it was going to be like for the kids. He wept at the sorrowful sight of the Draper children, the boys dressed in dark suits and Sally, looking almost too adult in her black dress and dark coat. Henry just looked so lost and inconsolable. For a moment, Stan let himself imagine what it would be like to lose Peggy. The thought was unbearable, and his heart ached for Henry.

Stan whispered to Peggy. "Its unfair. What those kids have to go through. I don't know how much longer I can keep it together."

Peggy put her hand on his back and whispered back to him "It's ok, you're ok."

She handed him some tissues and rubbed his back. She could not help wondering what was going through Don's head. Don stood with his children, with Henry on the other side of them at the gravesite. He did not cry, and did not appear to know how to console his children, and did not appear to be trying to either. He looked out of place, almost as though he didn't belong there. She felt sorry for him in a way, but part of her also felt angry at him. Maybe Stan was right. Not everyone is cut out to be a parent. Then that thought frightened her. She had no doubts about what type of a parent Stan would be. He was naturally loving and giving and more than ready to welcome their child. It was herself she doubted. Does she have what it takes, or would she be distant, removed, with her mind focused mostly on career, like Mary Wells?

Peggy drew a deep breath. Betty was not much older than her, maybe nine or ten years. Life can be very short. And what does it all mean in the end? She did not want to end up like Don, having sabotaged his relationship with not only Betty, but both of his wives, uneasy with his own children. At the time, the words stung when he spoke them, but Stan was right when he told her, "There's more to life than work."

Peggy put her arm around his waist, and Stan pulled her in close. As the priest spoke, she said a silent prayer for Betty, and also thanked God for all of the blessings in her own life, but most of all, for bringing Stan into her life.


End file.
